Re-Thinking the Christian Worldview

February 22, 2013

Can Spiritual Development Help Academics at University?

A New Study from UCLA points out what we've long known here at The Journey. A student who engages in spiritual development does better at school.

The study surveyed 112,000 freshmen as they enrolled in 236 colleges and universities and then followed up with 14,527 of these students as they completed their junior year at 136 colleges.

Some of the findings include:

Religious engagement among students declines somewhat during college, but their spirituality shows substantial growth. Students become more caring, more tolerant and more connected with others as well as more actively engaged in a spiritual quest.

College activities contribute to students' spiritual growth. Some of these--study abroad, interdisciplinary studies. interracial interaction, and service learning--appear to be effective because they expose students to new and diverse people, cultures and ideas.

Spiritual development is enhanced if students engage in "inner work" through activities such as meditation or self-reflection, or if their professors actively encourage them to explore questions of meaning and purpose. Spiritual development is impeded when students engage in activities that distract them from campus life opportunities--activities such as watching television and playing video games.

For More Information, CLICK HERE for full article, and contact the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Informational Studies.

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